Injection well induced earthquakes in Ohio, new permitting rules issued

CLEVELAND — According to an ongoing state probe, a wastewater injection well induced a series of 12 earthquakes in Youngstown, Ohio, last year, The Plain Dealer reported.

Due to the probe’s findings, Ohio regulators on Friday unleashed a round of new permitting rules for injection well drilling that could limit or slow down the number of new injection wells as contractors scramble to comply with tougher rules, the article stated.

In a 24-page preliminary report of its investigation into the quakes, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources has included a series of new permit requirements that it says go well beyond national standards.

"These regulations set a clear path for safe disposal of brine," said Agency spokesman Carlo LoParo.